Saving Seafood

MASSACHUSETTS: Mitchell sends NOAA letter requesting Rafael permits stay in New Bedford

June 21, 2017 — Mayor Jon Mitchell penned a letter to NOAA regarding Carlos Rafael’s permits, a day after Maine’s congressional delegation signed a letter regarding the permits.

In an argument consisting of four pages, Mitchell provided legal precedent for the Department of Justice and NOAA to punish Rafael, while also keeping the 13 fishing permits in question in New Bedford. He likens Rafael’s case to those cases involving wrongdoing by the head of a large business. He states, “It is common for the government to tailor punishment so as to avoid harm to others who were not involved.”

Rafael’s business employ 285 fishermen.

Mitchell suggested Rafael sell his entire business to other New Bedford companies, forfeiting the proceeds to the government. It would entirely exclude Rafael from fishing despite possessing more permits than the 13 in question.

“If the Service affords him a reasonable opportunity to fully divest himself in such fashion,” Mitchel wrote. “The government can accomplish its enforcement goals and avoid harm to employees and other businesses.”

On Monday, U.S. Senators Angus King and Susan Collins, along with members of Congress Chellie Pingree and Bruce Poliquin, drafted a letter to U.S. Secretary Wilbur Ross stating the permits should be redistributed among “all eligible permit holders in the fleet.” The Congressional delegation cited the Magnuson-Stevens Act to justify its belief.

Politicians and organizations have jockeyed for leverage regarding the final destination of the permits almost immediately after Rafael pleaded guilty to 28 counts including falsifying fishing quotas, false labeling, conspiracy and tax evasion at the end of March.

Read the full story at the New Bedford Standard-Times

Maine congressional delegation asks forfeited groundfish permits be redistributed through Northeast

June 19, 2017 — Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King and Reps. Chellie Pingree and Bruce Poliquin sent a letter Monday to U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross asking that the 13 groundfish permits forfeited by Carlos Rafael — a New Bedford fisherman who has pleaded guilty to 28 federal counts of tax evasion, falsifying fishing quotas and conspiracy — be redistributed to fishermen throughout the Northeast, not only New Bedford.

In their letter, the Maine congressional delegation said that groundfish permits embody a shared resource and, as such, should be returned to groundfish fishermen in “a fair and uniform manner.”

“Mr. Rafael’s grave and extensive disregard for both the law and sustainable fishing practices is a setback to the recovery of the beleaguered Northeast multispecies (groundfish) fishery, and has done, and will continue to do, financial harm to fishermen from Maine to New York,” the delegation wrote.

“These fishermen, who have complied with federal quotas and regulations, were forced to compete with this illegal activity and now must endure its repercussions on future stock assessments,” they wrote. “For these reasons, we believe the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) should cancel each of the groundfish permits that Mr. Rafael currently holds and reallocate the fishing privileges associated with such permits to all eligible permit holders in the fleet.

“We are specifically troubled that the City of New Bedford (where Mr. Rafael’s enterprise is based) is seeking to acquire control of his permits. We believe, instead, that all members of the fleet, including those in New Bedford, who have been disadvantaged by Mr. Rafael’s illegal activity, deserve a share of the rights to access these permits once remanded back to NMFS,” the delegation wrote.

Read the full story at the Bangor Daily News

Maine senators say Congress should save Sea Grant program

June 8, 2017 — Maine’s U.S. senators are signing on to a request to keep the National Sea Grant College Program funded at least at its current level.

President Trump has proposed to eliminate the program, which funds science that’s beneficial to commercial fisheries, conservation and coastal businesses. It has existed for about a half-century.

Maine Sens. Susan Collins, a Republican, and Angus King, an independent, are joining an effort led by Connecticut Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy to save the program. The group is sending a letter to the chairman and ranking member of the commerce appropriations subcommittee to stress the importance of Sea Grant.

Read the full story from the Associated Press at the Portland Press Herald

Sen. King tells researchers that data is the key to protecting lobster industry

June 6, 2017 — Calling proposed cuts in federal science funding “unacceptable,” U.S. Sen. Angus King told lobster researchers Monday that data is the key to protecting Maine’s most valuable fishery.

Maine’s independent senator asked the 250 biologists, oceanographers and fishery managers at a global conference on lobster biology in Portland this week to give him data on the impact of the changing sea environment on lobster, including temperature, salinity and acidification, and whether that is prompting a migration of Maine’s $533.1 million a year fishery to Canada.

“If lobsters are moving toward Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, that’s a serious practical issue that will get the attention of politicians,” he said. “It’s when you start seeing jobs go away that politicians start saying ‘Gee, we’d better do something about this.’ Are they moving, if they are why, and if they are, what’s the timing? Is it five years? Twenty years? A hundred years?”

But federal funding for scientific research is under fire. President Trump’s budget calls for a 17 percent cut to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which oversees the national fisheries programs and funded almost a fifth of Maine Department of Marine Resources’ annual budget. It would eliminate the Sea Grant program, which funds research by the University of Maine’s Rick Wahle, conference co-chairman, among others.

“The lobster industry in New England is valued at close to $500 million and yet we know very little about how ocean acidification may affect this species,” Libby Jewett, NOAA’s ocean acidification director, said last fall when awarding Wahle’s team a $200,000 grant for lobster research. “These projects should help move the needle forward in our understanding and, as a result, enable broader resilience in the region.”

King said it is unlikely that Trump’s budget, containing what he considers drastic cuts in scientific funding, will pass Congress.

“The last thing we should be doing on a federal level is cutting research funding,” King said. “That is one of the most important functions of the federal government, whether it is climate change or cancer. It’s how we solve problems. To cut research, and particularly to cut research when you get the feeling that the motivation is that we don’t want to know, is unacceptable. … Congress understands this.”

Read the full story at the Portland Press Herald

The Maine Lobster Industry Celebrates National Lobster Day on September 25, 2016

September 23, 2016 — The following was released by the Maine Lobster Marketing Collective:

PORTLAND, Maine — For the second year in a row, the Maine Lobster industry will celebrate its positive economic and cultural impact both in Maine and in the U.S. during National Lobster Day on September 25, 2016. Designated through a resolution by Senators Angus King and Susan Collins of Maine, National Lobster Day reinforces the hard work, sustainable practices and passion of Maine’s 5,600 independent lobstermen and women.

“The lobster industry is not only an iconic part of Maine’s image, but it’s also a significant engine in our local economy that supports families up and down our coast,” said Senators Collins and King in a joint statement. “By designating September 25 as National Lobster Day, the Senate has once again recognized lobster’s tremendous value for our communities while honoring the hardworking people in the industry. The thousands of Mainers who haul lobster from our shores, process it and distribute it ensure that this delicious Maine product can be enjoyed across the country and around the world. Lobster is a livelihood and a way of life for many Maine people, and we will always work to make sure this proud industry can continue its positive impact for generations to come.”

Last year, the Maine Lobster industry landed more than 120 million pounds for the fourth year in a row thanks to the self-governing, unparalleled sustainable practices that the industry has had in place for 150 years. Landings increase during peak season, typically June through November, allowing for nearly $1 billion in revenue to support citizens throughout Maine, and the tender sweet flavor of Maine Lobster to be shared with diners across the country.

“We are thrilled that the Senate has recognized the Maine Lobster industry by deeming September 25 as National Lobster Day again this year,” said Matt Jacobson, the Executive Director of the Maine Lobster Marketing Collaborative (MLMC). “We’re excited to have the national spotlight on our industry, especially during peak season, and we thank Senators King and Collins again for their support with this resolution.”

To further promote Maine Lobster and its rich heritage, the MLMC focuses on sharing the Maine Lobster story with national media, educating chefs about Maine Lobster’s diverse culinary applications to help them reimagine it as a key ingredient and connecting lobster lovers through social and digital platforms. Additionally, this year, the Collaborative released a video series that showcases the uniqueness of Maine Lobster and the industry’s impact across Maine.

“Maine Lobster’s strong sustainability story, beautiful flavor and versatility make chefs proud to serve it,” said Barton Seaver, chef, cookbook author and sustainable seafood expert. “National Lobster Day highlights these great qualities and the many people throughout the industry who bring Maine Lobster to our plates.”

Sens. Collins, King Applaud Funding to Help Reimburse Maine Fisherman for At-Sea Monitoring Program

June 27, 2016 — WASHINGTON — U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today welcomed an announcement from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) that it will fund an estimated 85 percent of the sea days needed for the At-Sea Monitoring (ASM) Program for the current fishing year. Beginning July 1, groundfish fishermen covered by the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan will be reimbursed for their at-sea monitoring costs through an arrangement with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission.

“The At-Sea Monitoring Program is an important tool that helps us to responsibly manage Maine’s critical ocean resources,” Senators Collins and King said in a joint statement. “Maine’s hardworking fishermen shouldn’t bear an unfair financial burden in supporting the ASM program. We applaud NOAA for stepping up to help reimburse our fishermen, and will continue to fight for the Maine groundfish industry moving forward.”

Read the full press release at the newsroom of Sen. Collins

State Department enters trade dispute over Maine lobsters

April 18, 2016 — The U.S. State Department is adding its muscle to help resolve an impending trade dispute between exporters of live Maine lobsters and the European Union.

Responding to a letter from Maine’s congressional delegation, officials in the Obama administration have committed the State Department to address the trade threat. In March, Sweden announced it was attempting to ban live North American lobsters from the 28-country EU, citing concerns that some of them have been found in European waters and are an “invasive species” that threatens Europe’s native lobster species.

“The State Department is on our side,” Sen. Angus King said Friday evening, “and I think they’re going to be aggressive.”

King said the response from the State Department was strong and suggested a concerted effort with other U.S. agencies to offset the risk of a ban. According to a letter from the State Department, the EU would have to consider the economic impact of a ban, along with the science, before blocking imports of U.S. lobsters.

King said the government “needs to press on all levels” to try to keep the EU from banning imports of live North American lobster, also known as Maine lobster.

Read the full story at the Portland Press Herald

Maine pilot project receives $3.7 million award, reviving vision for offshore wind farm

November 16, 2015 — An experimental offshore wind turbine being developed by a University of Maine-led consortium has won a $3.7 million federal award, Maine’s two U.S. senators will announce Monday, reviving ambitions that the state could be the home of a floating, deep-water wind farm and a new clean-energy industry.

Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King learned last week that the Department of Energy is committing the additional money to the Maine Aqua Ventus project.

Maine Aqua Ventus had been competing with demonstration projects in other states for a $47 million grant, but was passed over last year in favor of ventures in New Jersey, Virginia and Oregon. Instead, Maine got $3 million to continue engineering and design work.

Since then, each of the three winners has been unable to secure a power purchase agreement, and each has had trouble with cost and/or regulatory issues. Last week, the Energy Department told King and Collins that those projects would receive extensions until May, while Aqua Ventus would get $3.7 million to help overcome remaining barriers to successful development of a pilot wind farm off Monhegan.

Read the full story at Portland Press Herald

Maine business owners explore challenges, opportunities of climate change

October 30, 2015 — SOUTH PORTLAND — Several Maine business owners said Friday that adapting to climate change doesn’t have to be costly and, in many cases, can help a company’s finances as well as the environment.

Climate change presents considerable challenges but also potential opportunities to Maine businesses and communities, many of which are witnessing the impacts of a changing ocean environment before their counterparts elsewhere around the country. That was a key theme of a forum co-sponsored Friday by the South Portland Chamber of Commerce and the Natural Resources Council of Maine.

“Ultimately, this has to make economic sense,” U.S. Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, said via Skype because early-morning budget votes in Washington prevented his return to Maine. “We can’t depend on everybody simply being good guys or nice men and women. It has to work in terms of a return on investment.”

Laying out the challenges facing Maine due to a changing climate, King and Gulf of Maine Research Institute President and CEO Don Perkins discussed how lobster and other fish species are already changing their habits as the Gulf of Maine warms. A recent six-part Portland Press Herald series explored the ecological and economic implications of the fact that the Gulf of Maine has warmed faster than almost every part of the oceans around the globe during the past decade.

“It’s real and it has very sobering implications for our fishing industry, obviously,” said Perkins, whose staff at GMRI recently co-authored a scientific study showing cod populations were not recovering because of warming Gulf of Maine waters. “Once you get over agonizing about that – and it is cause for agony – the fact is that we’re dealing with that problem a decade or a few decades earlier than many other ocean regions. And as a result, there is a huge opportunity in this state to figure out how to understand a changing system.”

Read the full story at Portland Press Herald

 

NASA commits $6.5M to Gulf of Maine Research Institute for climate change education

October 21, 2015 — The Gulf of Maine Research Institute in Portland is receiving a $6.5 million grant from NASA to create a new educational program focused on science knowledge and problem-solving related to climate change.

The grant will allow the nonprofit organization to upgrade the technical infrastructure at its Sam L. Cohen Center for Interactive Learning in Portland to deliver the new educational content to the 10,000 Maine 5th and 6th graders who visit each year, GMRI announced Tuesday. The organization will also making the educational programing web-accessible to visitors in other science centers and classrooms in Maine and nationwide.

Through customization of the new content from GMRI’s educational program, LabVenture!, the programming will allow students to investigate how climate change is affecting their local region and the rest of the world. The five-year grant, which will begin Nov. 1, will be shared with national science education partners.

Work at GMRI will begin immediately, and new programming content is expected to be available for the 2018-2019 school year.

Read the full story at Maine Biz